Chapter 5: Joint Committees
Joint Committee on Human Rights
106.The Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) scrutinised bills with particular impact on human rights, as well as continuing thematic inquiries on the accountability for Daesh crimes,186 human rights at work187 and human rights of asylum seekers in the UK.188 As part of the inquiry on human rights of asylum seekers, the Committee undertook a visit to Rwanda, where it saw the conditions of facilities that will be dedicated to processing and housing asylum seekers, and held meetings with relevant UK and Rwandan Government officials and civil society representatives. In addition, the Committee published reports on the Illegal Migration Bill189 and the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill.190 The latter received a high volume of press coverage, including in the Financial Times,191 Sky News,192 The Independent,193 The Guardian194 and BBC News,195 among others, with the Committee concluding that the Bill “does not comply with the UK’s human rights obligations and would place the UK in breach of international law”.196
107.The Committee also undertook several one-off sessions, including on the Government’s proposals on extremism,197 human rights and assisted dying,198 the proposal for a ‘Hillsborough Law’199 and the Government’s compliance with its international human rights obligations.200
108.Additionally, the Committee carried out its statutory functions in relation to remedial orders on the Draft Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (Remedial) Order 2023.201 Remedial orders are designed to remedy an incompatibility in the law with the European Convention on Human Rights. JCHR is charged to consider and report on remedial orders, recommending to both Houses whether the order should be approved.
Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy
109.In December 2023 the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy (JCNSS) published its report A hostage to fortune: ransomware and UK national security.202 The report warned that the UK was unprepared for the “high risk” of a catastrophic ransomware attack “at any moment” and urged the Government to ensure “ransomware becomes a more pressing political priority”.203 The Government accepted several of the Committee’s recommendations in part including on the need for regular national exercises to prepare for the impact of a major national ransomware attack, and improving mechanisms for reporting. It also agreed to provide the Committee with a private briefing on protecting electoral integrity.204 The report received extensive coverage in the press including Sky News,205 Politico EU,206 The Guardian,207 and The Telegraph.208
110.In September 2023, the Committee published its report The Conflict, Stability and Security Fund209 (CSSF), raising concerns over the impact of cuts to the fund on the UK’s ability to anticipate conflict, prevent escalation, and respond effectively to areas of known instability across the world. In its response to the report, the Government committed to ensuring that, as the fund is incorporated into the Integrated Security Fund, it would maintain the current level of monitoring and evaluation of activities of the CSSF.210
111.In November 2023, the Committee announced an inquiry on the main risks to and vulnerabilities in the UK’s economic security.211 In March 2024, it launched its Defending Democracy inquiry to understand how threats to the UK’s democracy may evolve and be addressed.212 The BBC Today programme ran a preview of JCNSS’s first evidence session on this inquiry which featured witnesses from Meta, Ofcom and the Electoral Commission.213
186 Joint Committee on Human Rights, ‘Inquiry: Accountability for Daesh Crimes’: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/7953/accountability-for-daesh-crimes/
187 Joint Committee on Human Rights, ‘Inquiry: Human Rights at Work’: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/7310/human-rights-at-work/
188 Joint Committee on Human Rights, ‘Inquiry: Human Rights of Asylum Seekers in the UK’: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/6983/human-rights-of-asylum-seekers-in-the-uk/
189 Joint Committee on Human Rights, Legislative Scrutiny: Illegal Migration Bill (Twelfth Report, Session 2022–23, HC 1241, HL Paper 208)
190 Joint Committee on Human Rights, Legislative Scrutiny: Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill (Second Report, Session 2023–24, HC 435, HL Paper 62)
191 William Wallis, ‘Rwanda bill flouts UK’s human rights’ obligations, MPs warn, Financial Times (12 February 2024): https://www.ft.com/content/9baecf78-39a4-4460-a466-413c27a5839f
192 Jennifer Scott, ‘Rwanda bill ‘fundamentally incompatible’ with human rights law, MPs and peers warn’, Sky News (12 February 2024): https://news.sky.com/story/rwanda-bill-fundamentally-incompatible-with-human-rights-law-mps-and-peers-warn-13069981
193 Sophie Wingate, ‘MPs warn Rwanda plan ‘fundamentally incompatible’ with UK’s human rights commitment’, The Independent (12 February 2024): https://www.independent.co.uk/politics/rwanda-plan-human-rights-sunak-b2494411.html [accessed 10 September 2024]
194 Diane Taylor, ‘UK’s Rwanda bill ‘incompatible with human rights obligations’, The Guardian (12 February 2024): https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/feb/12/uk-rwanda-bill-incompatible-with-human-rights-obligations [accessed 10 September 2024]
195 BBC News, ‘Rwanda plan is fundamentally flawed, parliamentary report warns’: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-68270451 [accessed 1 May 2024]
196 Joint Committee on Human Rights, Legislative Scrutiny: Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill (Second Report, Session 2023–24, HC 435, HL Paper 62), p. 3
197 Joint Committee on Human Rights, ‘Non-inquiry session: Government proposals on extremism’: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8327/government-proposals-on-extremism/
198 Joint Committee on Human Rights, ‘Non-inquiry session: Human rights and assisted dying’: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/7355/human-rights-and-assisted-dying/
199 Joint Committee on Human Rights, ‘Non-inquiry session: Hillsborough Law’: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/7839/hillsborough-law/
200 Joint Committee on Human Rights, ‘Ministerial Scrutiny: the UK’s engagement with its international human rights obligations’: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8387/ministerial-scrutiny-the-uks-engagement-with-its-international-human-rights-obligations/
201 Joint Committee on Human Rights, Draft Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (Remedial) Order 2023: Second Report (First Report, Session 2023–24, HC 464, HL Paper 39)
202 Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, A hostage to fortune: ransomware and UK national security (First Report of Session 2023–24, HC 194, HL 23)
203 Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy ‘A hostage to fortune: ransomware and UK national security’ (13 December 2023): https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/111/national-security-strategy-joint-committee/news/198995/a-hostage-to-fortune-ransomware-and-uk-national-security/
204 Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, A hostage to fortune: ransomware and UK national security: Government Response to the Committee’s First Report (Second Special Report of Session 2023–24, HC 601, HL 74)
205 ‘UK could be brought to a halt ‘at any moment’ by cyberattack, report warns’ Sky News (13 December 2023): https://news.sky.com/story/the-uk-could-be-brought-to-a-halt-at-any-moment-by-cyberattack-report-warns-13029226 [accessed 10 September 2024]
206 ‘UK vulnerable to ‘catastrophic’ ransomware attack, MPs warn’ Politico EU (13 December 2023): https://www.politico.eu/article/uk-vulnerable-catastrophic-ransomware-attack-mps-warn-uk-parliament/ [accessed 10 September 2024]
207 ‘UK at high risk of a ‘catastrophic ransomware attack’ report says’, The Guardian (13 December 2023): https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/dec/13/uk-at-high-risk-of-catastrophic-ransomware-attack-report-says [accessed 10 September 2024]
208 ‘Braverman ignored risk of ‘catastrophic’ cyber attach on NHS, claim MPs’ The Telegraph (13 December 2023): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2023/12/13/suella-braverman-ignored-risk-catastrophic-cyber-attack-nhs/ [accessed 10 September 2024]
209 Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, The Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (Second Report of Session 2022–23, HC 1389, HL 253)
210 Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, The Conflict, Stability and Security Fund: Government Response to the Committee Second Report of Session 2022–23 (First Special Report of Session 2023–24, HC 349, HL 22)
211 Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, ‘New inquiry opens on the UK’s national economic security’: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8033/the-uks-economic-security/news/199627/new-inquiry-opens-on-the-uks-national-economic-security/
212 Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, ‘JCNSS launches inquiry on Defending Democracy with UK election expected this year’: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8131/defending-democracy/news/199739/jcnss-launches-inquiry-on-defending-democracy-with-uk-election-expected-this-year/
213 BBC, ‘Today programme’ (18 March 2024): https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001xd6k [accessed 10 April]